Live Action Avatar Movie Deal Announced on Variety.comPosted by Acastus on January 8th, 2007 @ 7:18 PM EST (386)

Surprise, surprise. In an article from yesterday, Variety.com reports that Nickelodeon has cut a deal with director M. Night Shyamalan and Paramount Pictures to produce three live action movies based on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Shyamalan (picture at left) wrote and directed hit thrillers such as "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs", but, as Variety noted, the "Avatar" movies will be his first foray into "kids movies."

This announcement came just hours after Fox and director James Cameron announced another movie project also called "Avatar", but which is based on an original idea of Cameron's and has nothing to do with the show.

No details on titles, actors, plot or release dates as of yet. Also, no word on how deeply Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, Avatar's creators, will be involved. So let the speculation begin, and thanks to ASN user "shukuchi" and Something Awful power user "nfreakct" for the heads up on this awesome news!